- OBLIVION Logged In -
by Josiphii
Summary: A young boy was stolen from a priest approximately fifteen years ago and taken to no one knows where. The young boy served his purpose and was then adopted into the Orihara family. For his education he was to live with his brother Izaya in Ikebukuro. Not just urban legends fill the city, but exorcists roam the over the streets as well now. AU
1. Orihara Rin

**"A young boy was stolen from a priest approximately fifteen years ago and taken to no one knows where. The young boy served his purpose and was then adopted into the Orihara family, where he grew up as a strange kid with immense strength. For his education he was to live with his brother Izaya in Ikebukuro , there he worked for him while learning about all of the city's mysteries. And if the urban legends itself weren't excitement enough a group of exorcists get involved as well."**

**Rated – T **

**AU – Stays as close as possible to the original character's personality.**

* * *

It wasn't like he purposefully tried to drive the elder insane, but who was the boy if he had to apologize for art. His blue eyes shone brightly with excitement, but also extreme anxiety. The young teen acted full of energy, bouncing like a ball, even though he hadn't slept at all the previous night. Not that people would notice that. Rin struggled with his tie as he violently tried to put it in place. His brother was standing behind him, chuckling slightly with some sort of twitch in his red-like eyes. Orihara Izaya had trouble to decide whether he was amused, annoyed or nervous. After watching his younger brother fight with his school uniform he sighed and reached out his hand to help him out. Rin flustered with embarrassment, but nevertheless allowed the young man to fix his attire.

"You've grown so big already, but you still cannot take care of your own clothing. Honestly, will you even be alright on your own?" Izaya totted motherly while pulling on the tie. He grabbed his brother's shoulders and turned him so that he would face the mirror again. The bathroom was damp from the shower Rin just took and he had to swipe the reflective surface to see his own face.  
"You're worrying too much! Besides, who wears neckties nowadays, anyway?"  
Izaya huffed. "People who want a job," he scolded.  
"You can do fine without it."  
"Well, I'm extremely functional."  
"What's that supposed to mean!" The man ignored the younger's protest as he put his fingers in the slightly moist black hair of his brother. "Hmm, I guess it's fine if you leave it like this."  
"Wasn't going to change it. I like it casual." Rin flashed a cheeky grin at his reflection. As if to mock him Izaya ruffled his hair roughly. He laughed when he saw the growing annoyed expression on his brother's face.  
"Fix that while I make breakfast," he stated. Rin grumbled some colorful words under his breath as he tried to safe that what was once not a poodle look-alike. Today would be his first day at Raira Academy. The youngest male of the family had always wanted to go to High School in Tokyo and he had begged his parents to allow him to go for years. They had to give in at a certain point, but only agreed to let Rin leave the house if he were to move in with his brother, Izaya. The younger had felt guilty at first, for he really didn't want to be a bother to his hard-working next of kin. The latter had to reassure him that he wouldn't be in the way, especially not if Rin were to help him with his work here and there. The youngest brother was no fool, he knew what kind of work his newly appointed boss did. They all knew. No one cared, though. Izaya had always been a strange one, but really, everyone carrying the name of Orihara was bound to have some sort of issue. Nodding approvingly at himself, after acknowledging that he really couldn't safe his appearance any more than he had done, he turned the doorknob and left for the semi-living-room-semi-workplace with kitchen. A smell of freshly baked pancakes began to fill the air as Izaya began to prepare their first meal of the day. Rin stood behind his brother and glared with experienced eyes at the food. It was rare that Izaya cooked for him, normally Rin did for the man. He wasn't bad at it, far from it, it seemed that those who were born within the Orihara "tribe" turned out to be great cooks too, excluding his younger twin sisters. Izaya turned his head to look at the blue-eyed boy. "Am I doing alright, chef?"  
Chef was a small joke the man used to tease Rin. His youngest brother had always been fascinated with cooking, so much so that he started to cook long before the girls were being bullied for being "weak housewives". He was good at it, too, beaming up each time he received praise for it. Rin's left eye twitched at the mention of the nickname. "It's fine, novice. Continue to not light the kitchen on fire."  
"You're never going to let that incident go, are you?"  
"You framed me for it!"  
"It's not like he were scolded badly for it. Alright, grab a plate, the first one is done."  
"Are you giving me the bad one of purpose?" grinned the boy. Izaya waved his spatula around and frowned upon the teenager. With a stance like that he resembled an angry mother a lot.  
"Be happy I don't feed you burned ones, you ungrateful brat. Go eat, you're going to be late."  
No lies in that sentence, realized Rin as he looked at his watch. Crap, he couldn't be late on his first day.  
He hurriedly began to stuff the pancake in his mouth under the look of disgust of his brother. Izaya wasn't going to bring the boy to school, seeing as Rin had really pushed him into not tagging along. He knew were the building was, he could walk there himself. Besides, he really didn't trust his brother in a car. Orihara Izaya was usually picked up by his clients or he would be seen skipping around town. Rin's older brother seemed to be a little bit more interested in Ikebukuro lately, and has been going there more frequently than he used to. The teen wondered sometimes what Izaya was up to, but he never doubted the man's motives nor did he felt the need to stop him from doing anything. Rin stood up and hastily began to put on his shoes. He gave his brother a quick hug before he ran towards the door. "See ya, nii-sama!"  
"Good luck, Rin," was yelled back from the kitchen.  
Rin jogged down the streets but came to the conclusion he'd be on time so he slowed down his pace, trying not to bump into all the people on the pavement. Ah, he really was looking forward to the upcoming year. He'd be able to help his brother out, he could study in Tokyo and experience all sorts of exiting things. Rin grinned to himself as he imagined what his classmates would be like. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud neighing coming from behind him. He turned around and noticed that the Black Rider was approaching. Celty Sturluson was her name, Izaya had told him. But seeing as the informant wasn't supposed to officially know that, Rin never called her by her name. The two had spoken quite often during the summer break. At first it was just Rin staring at the woman while she would be discussing a job with his brother. Later Izaya began asking Rin to do the briefings, so the two got to know one another a bit. He really liked the woman, and he was sure the Black Biker returned the feeling. It must have never occurred to her that she had forgotten to tell him her name, seeing as they never really had the need for it.  
"Good morning," he greeted when she stopped next to him. Celty pulled out her began to type. She turned it around so Rin could read what she was saying.  
"First day at school, hmm? Do your best!"  
Rin nodded. "But I'm really nervous. I've never been to a school this big, and I hardly know anyone my age in this city."  
Celty began to type furiously again. "Don't worry. High School is different for everyone, so you're not the only one feeling anxious. It's a new time for all students, everyone will be looking out for new people. You'll make lots of friends in no time at all!"  
Rin smiled slightly. "Thank you, I really do hope so."  
Celty looked somehow pleased at the now somewhat relaxer boy. "Need a ride?"  
Rin shook his head. "No, thank you, though. I think that after my hurrying this morning I'll even end up too early. I don't wanna come off as a total nerd on the first day."  
"I understand," said Celty. But he knew she didn't. The woman had never experienced anything like this, but that too was something he actually shouldn't have knowledge on. "I'll be going then, have fun."  
Rin bowed slightly and said good-bye before watching her take off. He started walking towards his school again and somehow managed to arrive right on the sound of the bell. He breathed heavily as he ran up the stairs and broke into the room that was appointed to him. He had managed to arrive just on time for the opening ceremony, it was just as boring as he expected, and he even managed to sit far away from his actual classmates. Apparently, he was sorted in 1-B as he sat as far away from the teacher's desk as possible. Next to him seemed to be sitting an overly excited individual. The teen started rambling to Rin the moment he sat down, making the latter feel a little less nervous. At the very least he now had an acquaintance. The guy's name was Kida Masaomi, he had pierced ears and bleached hair. Or at least, Rin assumed he had for he thought that the combination of brown eyes and blonde hair like that was pretty rare. He bluntly commented about it making the boy laugh. "Ah, I realize I'm a beauty, don't fall for me now. I only date the most cute girls out there."  
Rin simply rolled his eyes at that statement.  
"Hey, by the way," asked the blonde. "What is your name, anyway?"  
"Huh? Oh, right." Rin rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "I'm Orihara Rin."  
A painful silence emerged between the two. The dark-haired teen had expected this reaction, for he had heard about Kida from his brother. The two seemed to have had quite the troublesome history. Kida leaned back in his seat, titling his chair backwards. "So, you're Orihara Izaya's relative?"  
"He is my elder brother," he admitted. "He agreed to let me live with him for my studies."  
"I don't like him."  
"Huh? How so?" asked Rin, tilting his head slightly to show confusion. Kida stared at him. The young Orihara knew that the teenager was judging him. Did he know about their past? Was he planning something? Did he know about Saki? "What is it? Did he do something stupid again?" That did it. Kida shook his head. "Ah, just that he is a dangerous fellow to be around."  
Rin nodded solemnly. "So I've heard," he said. "He really made a name for himself around here, hasn't he?" He then proceeded to talk about how he moved here, and how he was very excited to have come to live here. Kida told him about his childhood friend, Ryūgamine Mikado.  
"No way!" he said loudly and laughed. "His name sounds like he comes from a novel! Is he some sort of angelic knight?"  
"Not even close," chuckled Kida. "He is the most cowardly person I know. Ah, don't tell him I said that. He looks up to me like I'm his role-model, see?"  
Rin liked the teen, for he felt he could let loose a bit of his enthusiasm without being looked at like he was weird. The boy never really had had friends, but just maybe that could change here. If only he would be able to sort things out, he'd be fine. The teacher arrived and the students were obligated to stand up and bow. They did a round of introductions and started with getting a briefing about the school, the grading system, the rules and the events that were held during the year. Kida grabbed Rin's hand as soon as the bell signalizing the break rang and dragged him towards another classroom. Kida immediately ran toward a somewhat plain looking guy. He had gray black hair and gray green eyes. He looked shocked to see Rin with Kida. Realizing he was going to meet someone new he flustered and chocked out his name. "N-Nice to meet you, I'm Ryūgamine Mikado."  
Rin nodded. "I'm Orihara Rin. Kida me about you. Your name is really something."  
The boy looked confused. "Orihara?" he asked.  
Rin sighed. "So my brother really is that horrible…"  
"Ah! No, I just heard his name! I don't really know anything about him," rambled the boy. "Just that he is dangerous…" he mumbled softly.  
"I suppose he is," said the blue-eyed teen and he shrugged. "So you're new in town too? I am as well! Though, I arrived as soon as summer break began, so I already know my way around. Where do you live?"

"Nii-sama, I'm home." Rin dropped his bag in the hallways as he stretched and yawned. He kicked off his shoes and left for the office, where he was sure his brother was. As he had expected Izaya was there with a client. Not that the boy cared, it wasn't like the underground information dealer was keen on being formal anyway. Rin stepped in and bowed slightly to the three men sitting on the couch. "Orihara Rin," he said. The men didn't say anything so Rin looked up to his brother, who had a sneaky grin on his face as he waited for the younger to leave again. But before that he asked: "how was your day?" and after a short "fine" Rin left him alone. He went upstairs to his own room, Izaya's previous study, and proceeded to finish the little homework he had gotten that day. He quickly realized that he wasn't interested in physics that day at all so he turned on his new laptop, the one he had gotten for his fifteenth birthday from his parents. He went to his network and signed in.

**OBLIVION** Hi everyone!  
**Taro Tanaka** Evenin'. How are you?  
**OBLIVION** Amazing! Today was great! I met all kinds of new people at school.  
**Setton** Right, school started again.  
**OBLIVION** Ah, you big pervert! Don't come near me okay (¬‿¬)  
**Setton** I won't, I won't.  
**Taro Tanaka** Did you guys hear the rumors about the Black Biker?  
**OBLIVION ** That guy really is popular lately, isn't he?

** Setton** What rumors?  
**Taro Tanaka** Apparently, they say he doesn't have a head. Is that true?  
**OBLIVION ** What do you think? Of course it's a lie. A lie.

Rin heard the main door close loudly. The meeting didn't go that well for the other party, did it? He sighed and looked back on the screen.

**\- Kanra logged in -**

**Kanra ** Hi there! Missed me? What are we talking about? σ(≧ε≦ｏ)  
**Setton** Ah, we were discussing that biker… but…  
**OBLIVION ** Tanaka-san seems to believe the biker has no head.  
**Taro Tanaka** Huh?! I never said I believed it!  
**OBLIVION ** Bluh! Same thing!  
**Kanra** Oh! I heard that too! People say they have proof, too!  
**Setton ** Really? As in, a picture?  
**OBLIVION ** And yet I haven't seen any pictures. It's all a load of bull. But the biker is real, though.  
**Setton** Have you seen him?  
**OBLIVION ** Uhm, yeah. I've seen him driving around. He's really cool!  
**Taro Tanaka ** It sure doesn't seem like he's a bad person.  
**Kanra ** What to do if he really doesn't have a head, though?  
**Kanra ** That would mean there's a monster in town.  
**Kanra** Help! Save us! ε＝ε＝ε＝(((((ﾉ｀･Д･)ﾉ  
**OBLIVION ** Did we seriously befriend this guy above me?  
**Taro Tanaka ** It doesn't seem like it's that bad, though.  
**Setton ** Rumors are just rumors, right? Let's just leave it like that.  
**OBLIVION ** Guys, I have to go! Gotta cook dinner!  
**Kanra ** Your family sure is lucky! I want Oblivion-san to cook for me too!  
**OBLIVION** Come over once, and I'll consider it.  
**Kanra ** YAY! Oblivion-san will make me food! ╭( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑  
**OBLIVION ** I said that I'd consider it!  
**OBLIVION ** Bye you guys!  
**Taro Tanaka ** Bye. See you around!  
**Setton ** Later!

**\- OBLIVION logged off – **

Rin stretched once more and left his room. He went down and first greeted his brother, who seemed to be quite pleased with himself. He was still chatting on their shared network, which Rin thought was slightly creepy. After all, his brother pretended to be a young girl on the internet. On the other hand, everyone gets warned about such possible dangers, so if they are fooled it would be partly their own mistakes. You shouldn't trust anyone when you only knew that person through the net.  
"Did the meeting go well?" he asked.  
"Of course, I don't experience anything but success. Now how was your day in more detail?"  
"I met Kida Masaomi."  
"A boring child, isn't he?" Izaya typed something. "I am totally done with him."  
"And his friend, Ryūgamine Mikado."  
Rin's brother looked up with a slight smirk. "What do you know about him so far?"  
"He comes from Saitama, and looks like an everyday plain guy. I think he's Taro Tanaka." Izaya nodded with a smile, signaling him to continue. "I mean…" proceeded Rin as he thought about the boy. "He did discuss Celty-san with me today. It sounded like he had an encounter with her and he looked shaken. It'd be no wonder if he were to look around for information. Plus, Tanaka did mention that he would be moving near Ikebukuro, and multiple signals showed that he and I would be around the same age."  
Izaya nodded once more and looked back to his desktop, typing furiously. Probably another ridiculous emoticon. "Setton is the dullahan."  
"Seriously?" exclaimed Rin, dumbfounded. "And here I thought I was smart for once." He snickered a second later, thinking about how weird it must have been for her to read the chat today. "What is it with you people and changing your gender over the net?"  
"It's fun! You should try it. It also helps you better understand the opposite sex."  
"… I see that it has been working out for you."  
"Don't mock me," growled the man. Rin sighed and turned towards the kitchen. "What do you want today, nii-sama?"  
"Hmm, I was thinking about meeting up with Simon today, actually. You up for some Russian sushi?" Rin's eye twitched. "You just don't want to do the dishes, you lazy bastard!"  
Izaya logged off and threw his arms in the air. "Whoah! I'm busted." The man stood up and prepared his wallet. On their way to the restaurant they chatted about everything and nothing. Izaya told Rin some more about the city and his work, while Rin explained everything about his classmates and how he might want to sign up for class representative. The elder assured Rin that he would be able to help his younger brother when studies would get rough, especially with literature or biology.  
Suddenly the elder stood still. "What an inconvenience." Rin looked in the direction his brother was turned to and paled when he saw the rumored Heiwajima Shizuo. He and Rin hadn't met yet, mainly because he was showing himself around town, sometimes alongside Celty, and had miraculously always missed the strong man. Izaya said once that Shizuo could smell him and that he would follow his scent like a dog until he had found the red-eyed man.  
Rin didn't really believe him.  
"I-za-ya-kun! I already thought something smelled off around town."  
_He really does smell him! What's going on? How? _  
Rin was really excited to meet the one person his brother hated with a passion, but it wasn't the only reason. Very few people knew that Orihara Rin was adopted. He shared no connections with the Orihara family. No one would guess so, seeing as he somehow resembled Izaya a bit, nonetheless was it the undeniable truth. Rin was a strange kid. He grew up with extreme strength and violent tendencies. When he was little he was able to break the ribs of his fellow classmates, and now he was able to lift cars without any trouble whatsoever. Because he indeed broke his fellow classmates' ribs was the reason why Rin didn't have any friends. Orihara Rin was a violent and uncontrollable child. Only his elder brother, one who was calmer, more understanding and maybe just as mentally unstable was able to calm the younger boy down. He learned the kid to separate his being from a situation, to block everything out that was irrelevant. Rin… owed his brother a lot. Rin would make Izaya proud, he would proof he wasn't a demon.  
But now. A man had showed up that was just as strong as – or maybe even more stronger than – he was. It made him wonder who the man was. How the man had grown up. How Heiwajima Shizuo was able to become the man who he was now.  
"Shizu-chan, I have no time to play around now." Izaya laid his arm around Rin and pressed him against himself. Rin twitched. His brother really was the devil in human flesh. Izaya really tried to piss that guy off. Rin sighed, for it looked like he would have to go on ahead to order some sushi and wait for his brother to be done playing.  
"Who's the kid?"  
"Oh? This guy? He's my employee."  
Shizuo appeared to be shocked. He was probably thinking about all sorts of weird scenarios in which Izaya would hire a fifteen-year-old. Ah, that sounded so wrong.  
"Izaya!" he screamed loudly and he grabbed a lamppost. His brother was right! Shizuo really was extremely strong. _You know_, Rin thought, _I appreciate that Shizuo-san is trying to save me. But if he throws that post I'll die._ The man seemed to be oblivious of that fact however, and he threw it like it was a giant spear. Rin was about to jump away but his brother wouldn't let him. Izaya pinched the younger's shoulder, smiled reassuringly and released him.  
A deadly silence come down on the street, some cars even stopped as the drivers stared in awe. "Crap," whispered the blonde. "I killed him, didn't I?" He reached behind his head with his hands and ruffled his hair. Panic filled the man's mind, even though it didn't quite reach to the surface. Right before he truly started to freak out he watched in shock how the post did not actually hit the two.  
The young boy had actually caught it. Izaya stood behind the kid with a smug on his face. He leaned in on his little brother. "Way to go for the shock factor, little Rin."  
"This is all your fault! Idiot nii-sama!" cried the blue eyed boy. Shizuo stared at the duo, still utterly shocked, but feeling slowly returning in his arms. He removed the cigarette from his mouth, but instead of stepping on it and going berserk, he threw it in the trash can. The man started walking towards the more than happy looking flee and the most annoyed teen the smoking man had ever seen.  
"Who are you?" he asked rather bluntly.  
"Orihara Rin," came the response. "So, you're Heiwajima Shizuo. That was a pretty nice throw."  
"Thanks," muttered Shizuo. An awkward silence came between them all, while the world around them started to move again. Izaya was happily whistling a song.  
Rin got annoyed again and grabbed his brother's arm. "We have to get sushi," he said, proceeding to push his elder brother forward. "It was nice meeting you."  
Izaya remained in a good mood for the whole trip, while the younger kept sulking.  
"Good evening! Sushi is good, too."  
"Hey, Simon-san!" smiled Rin, forgetting about the silent promise to himself to never speak up again. "How are you?"  
"Ah, little Orihara, yes, I am good. You too? You're here for sushi?" Rin nodded and looked at Izaya. He sighed and went in the shop, leaving his brother with the huge Russian man. He sat down and ordered their usual stuff. He was already given his drink when Izaya returned. The elder smiled mischievously and raised his glass. "To a good year, living with me, little brother."  
"Cheers," said Rin as he bumped his glass against the other's. They ate their meals cheerfully and laughed about each other. Neither of them noticed two weirdly dressed guys, one old - looking like a priest with short gray hair - and one way younger - a somewhat nervous looking individual, having a heavy discussion with Simon, right outside the shop.


	2. The Priest

**"****A young boy was stolen from a priest approximately fifteen years ago and taken to no one knows where. The young boy served his purpose and was then adopted into the Orihara family, where he grew up as a strange kid with immense strength. For his education he was to live with his brother Izaya in****Ikebukuro, there he worked for him while learning about all of the city's mysteries. And if the urban legends itself weren't excitement enough a group of exorcists get involved as well."**

**Rated – T **

**AU – Stays as close as possible to the original character's personality. **

"Well, who is willing to be student representative for the girls?"  
Rin sat quietly in his seat. Kida was eyeing the shy girl who was appointed for the job with mischievous eyes. The boy doubted that the blonde even knew her name, but that was beside the point, apparently. "Ah, very good. Now a representative for the boys?"

Rin raised his hand plainly. Kida looked at him with a devilish grin, and he raised his thump at the raven. Said boy, still with a raised hand, smiled nervously. He had always wanted to be in a somewhat position for the group. He'd be able to meet more people and hopefully get more friends, like his parents had so desperately wished for him. "Orihara Rin? Yes, alright. Now that that is settled let's go and start the lesson now."

During the break Rin walked beside Kida, again walking to his hometown friend. There had been asked for class representatives there as well, Rin noted as he saw Mikado's name and the name of Sonohara Anri on the blackboard. The boy chuckled when Kida drew a heart around their names. "Mikadooo! I'm so proud of you!"  
"It's not like that!" protested the flustered boy.

Rin elbowed him in his side. "I am class rep as well. Seems like we'll be working together, doesn't it?" Mikado smiled at that. "Anyways!" said Kida as he twirled around. "How about another tour through the city after school? Ah, but Rin, you already know your way around, right?"

"I do. But it's not like I have anything else to do. There are no meetings, yet. What about you, Mikado?" the boy asked. The shy guy nodded. "Yeah, I'm up for it."

Right after the last bell rang, signaling the end of biology, Kida stood up, grabbed his books and sighed. "Why?" he began dramatically. "Why are you this good?"

Rin scratched the back of his head with a weird look on his face. "My brother helped me a lot. Apparently he's really good at it, so I improved as well."

Kida leaned in on him and got a devilish smile. "Then you'll help me too, right?"  
"What kind of logic is that?" sweat-dropped Rin, as Kida came even closer to his face. "… You're invading my personal space."

"So you'll help?" cheered Kida as he fist-bumped the air.

"I didn't say anything like that!" cried the raven in shock. Kida just brushed him off and threw his bag over his shoulder. "You coming?" he yelled loudly as he ran towards the hallway.

After waiting for Mikado at the front gates they began on their trip.  
"Won't your brother be worried when you arrive late?" asked the blue eyed boy. Rin shook his head and told him that Izaya wouldn't worry that easily. "I have always come home late. He does too, once in a while."

"But, hey, you know what?" grinned Kida, walking backwards in front of the two so that he would be facing them. "I heard that a high-scholar stopped Heiwajima yesterday! Did you hear? Did you hear, ne?" Rin nodded with a crooked smile. "I heard, yeah."

Mikado looked shocked. "Isn't Heiwajima one of the dangerous people?" Kida nodded furiously. "That guy is trouble. He can throw fending machines with ease, that kid is so lucky to be alive."  
Rin chuckled. "They can just be rumors, you know that, right?"  
"But what's the fun in treating it as one?" retorted Kida with a cheeky wink. He turned serious. "This is really getting messed up..."

"Maybe he's nice?" said Mikado with a somewhat forced smile to Rin, as he himself couldn't imagine that possibility. Rin's mood immediately turned sour. Suddenly Kida grabbed his arm and pulled him near an alley. "What's your problem?" snapped Rin.

"Shush," said Kida, as he moved his finger to his lips. Rin looked in the alley and saw a girl being surrounded by small group. He glared in their direction. Mikado gasped and hid behind the wall as well. "That's Sonohara," he said. "She's getting bullied?"

"Appears to be so," mumbled Kida.

Rin felt a lot for just kicking the guy's ass and throwing trashcans at the girls. Who did they think they were? Barbie?

Suddenly Mikado seemed to have an idea of being brave and he stood up. Rin just looked as he watched the boy make up his mind with a blank look on his face. Was that kid serious? With his face completely void of emotion he gazed up from his crouched positon towards his new friend. "Idiot," he said. Mikado looked embarrassed and had a blush on his cheeks, but it seemed like he wanted to go through with his idea anyway.

"Well, well," a voice said from behind them. Rin was shocked and stood up immediately. "Nii-sama?" he cried. The group in the alley heard them clearly and they turned around.

Izaya grabbed Mikado and pulled him in the dark space. Rin remained where he was beside Kida, who looked at him with an unsure expression. Rin shrugged. It would be fine.

And in no more than a minute the group that was bullying Sonohara ran off. She ignored them and just looked at the guys with a confused look in her eyes.

Izaya came back with the two high scholars. "Hey there, little brother. How often will you see the two of us run into one another?" he grinned slyly.

"Hello, nii-sama… You're out," he noted. Kida watched the two suspiciously. Mikado was just confused out of his mind. Sonohara didn't seem to care about what happened.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kida rudely.

"My, my, such a hostile look," toyed Izaya. "I was just looking for someone," he continued, as his gaze fell on Mikado, who gasped slightly. "I seem to have met him now."

Suddenly a trashcan crashed into the young man, throwing him off balance.

Rin looked horrified. "Nii-sama!" he cried in shock. "Are you alright?"

Kida snickered at his tone, but Rin just glared at him. Then it hit him. There was only one person who would throw such a thing at his brother. Heiwajima Shizuo.

"Izaya-kun," he sang. "I seem to meet you too often."

"Shizu-chan," came the grumble as Izaya stood up straight again. "What an unpleasant surprise." For a minute Rin feared that the blonde would recognize him, but Heiwajima completely ignored him.

All of a sudden the two were surrounded by a group. The leader, Rin assumed he was, proclaimed they were part of the Dollars. Even after realizing that one of the two adults was the strongest man in town, one of the men charged forward and injured the blonde.

"Well, crap," said Rin, knowing that a fight would break out for sure now.

"Guys! Time to spilt!" cried Kida. Mikado immediately grabbed Sonohara's hand and left the two of them. Kida and Rin stood silently there, watching their friend and his classmate completely abandon them. "That's just cruel," said Kida.

"Heartless," agreed Rin, but they then ran off as well. They said goodbye to another a couple of streets further. "Ah, I wish that one guy showed up. It would have been so cool," said Kida and Rin waved him good-bye. How long will Kida think it was cool, Rin thought.

Not long, he concluded.

"Welcome back, little brother. Had a nice walk?" Izaya sat by his desk with an empty cup resting in his hand as he continued to watch his monitor. It didn't seem like he was going to mention his encounter with Heiwajima. "School went okay?"

"Yeah," grumbled the younger. "Just peachy."

Izaya looked up, but didn't comment. The silence stopped Rin in his franticly walking around, throwing his stuff on the ground. "What?" he said.

Izaya gave a soft smile. "So your adventure didn't work out that well. Yesterday," he added when he noticed his little brother looked confused. Rin sighed and dropped down on the couch, once again not feeling like doing his homework that afternoon.

"Is it that big of a gossip?"

The eldest Orihara simply nodded, still calmly watching his relative. The two stayed there for a while, in silence, so that Rin could calm down a bit.  
"I should apologize to Kida and Mikado tomorrow," he announced. "I was kind of being mean at the end."  
"You should," agreed Izaya. The latter apparently having gained what he wanted so he returned his gaze towards his monitor. "You up for a job?"

"Will you pay me?"

"I will kick you out, yes."

Rin moaned in complaint and jumped up. "What do you need?" Izaya leaned back on his chair and pressed some buttons on the copy-machine. He grabbed the five papers and put them in a regular-looking envelope. He reached it out and Rin took it. "Will you deliver it to this address? You might have to answer a few questions, but you'll be fine. I'd like cash as a payment," he explained, then told his little brother the amount he was supposed to receive.

Rin, being used to this kind of sketchy assignments, took the scrape of notebook and read its content carefully. "No way… This is on the other side of town!"

"As long as you're home before dark." Izaya waved off the rest of Rin's problems and sent him off.

The younger forgot about grabbing his coat – it was still warm –, put the envelope in his schoolbag and left with annoyed mumbles. He got on the fuller than full train and stood as close to the doors as he could. Not that he had any choice otherwise. Luckily, most people got off the more stations were passed and Rin soon found himself sitting on an actual seat. He closed his eyes in content, but didn't let his grip loosen for a second. He heard an aged voice argue with a younger one coming towards him.

"Father, I keep telling you, we had to get off the previous stop."

"Argh! Alright, alright, I believe you. They changed the stations, of course!"  
"Can't we just ask the way?"

"… Right… Ah, young man?"

_Just great._ "Yeah?" Rin answered, without opening his eyes. He heard the lounger one of the two mumble something about a student being rude, and that just made his day a bit better.

The old man wasn't discouraged. "We need to get to Ikebukuro. We kind of missed our stop. Do you know the fastest way to get there?"

Rin opened his eyes. The one he thought was an old man was actually younger than he expected. And a priest, too. His son was probably around his own age, but he looked incredibly stiff while wearing a suit similar to his father's. "Sure," he sighed. "You need to take two stops from here. There goes a train around six. You should be able to make it if you hurry once we arrive at the station."

"Thank you," said the younger one, with blueish-green eyes, but he sounded displeased as if he was insulted. Maybe he had been wrong on how to get back. Anyhow, it made Rin's day even better than it already had gotten before. The old man had a serious look on his face, his eyes hidden behind the gleam in his glasses. "Kid… What's your name?"

Rin just raised his eyebrows. "Whoa, there, old man! I am not interested."

"Don't take my father for that kind of person," exclaimed the priest's son in horror, while the elder began to laugh hysterically. "No, no! I promise I won't do anything," after his laughter toned down he smiled more friendly. "I am Father Fujimoto, this is my son, Okumura Yukio."

Rin eyed them suspiciously. "Orihara…" he said. "Rin." He tightened the grip on his schoolbag when the train came to a halt. Even more people left.

The old man looked absolutely shocked, scared even. _Shit… Did he know me from my previous town? Neither my parents nor I went to church, though… Maybe some of the elders of my classmates. _He grimaced when he thought about it. Yukio looked confused at his father, then back at Rin. The latter just shrugged at him, he didn't know either.

Father Fujimoto came to his senses and apologized for his staring. He awkwardly laughed how he had forgotten something, but that it wasn't all too important. "I understand," said Rin coldly.

"So… You're a student as well? My son is a first year, you are?"

"Same," said the boy, watching in amusement how Yukio looked offended when his dad told that to a complete stranger. The train started riding again.

"We're do you go?" Rin asked and watched the boy stiffen even more. What was that guy's problem?

After exchanging a look with his father he answered: "True Cross Academy"

"No shit…" sighed Rin. "That's a school for the elite," he grinned mischievously. "I didn't know you could get rich with preaching, old man."

Father Fujimoto laughed a tad embarrassed. "Yukio was selected."  
"Whoah," said Rin, honestly impressed. "You're smart, then. Pretty amazing." Yukio seemed to loosen up a bit after a complement. Rin liked him better like that.

"I'm from Raira. I just moved here during the summer."

"For school?" asked the boy.

Rin nodded. "I live with my brother. If you're all staying here for a while, I'm sure you'll hear about him."

"Your, eh, brother is famous then?" asked the man.

"Yeah. You could say that," shrugged Rin. "Why are you here? True Cross is pretty far away, you know."

Yukio looked at his father, as if to say 'I told you we'd be asked'. Father Fujimoto smiled. "Family matters."

"Ugh, good luck," grunted Rin. A voice called over their conversation. "Seems your stop is close. Remember, you'd do well to run." He motioned to his watch.

"Isn't school over?" asked Yukio suddenly. He pointed at Rin's bag.

"Ah, yeah. I just have nothing else to carry stuff with. It's not like I own a purse." Yukio rolled his eyes at that. The train slowed down. "Well, good bye and good luck," yawned Rin and he waved to the strange duo as they got off. He still had five stops to go. He grunted and let himself slide down in his seat.

"This is from Orihara?"

"Yes."

Rin was currently beneath a business building, where he was supposed to meet with the head of the company. He had handed over the envelope and the man in front of him was shaking it a bit.

"You sure you're his employee?" he asked.

Rin grunted. "Take the information and give me the money. I need to be home before dark."

One of the two bodyguards of the man leaned forward and whispered it the ear of the blonde. The two started to discuss something in quiet tones, leaving Rin standing where he stood. He began to feel incredibly bored.

"What's your full name, kid?"

The teen huffed, scowling at the kid comment. "Orihara Rin." The owner began to smile widely. "You should have told me sooner," he grumbled. "I heard you'd be dealing with the delivery and all. I thought you were a spy of some sorts."

"… I am fifteen," mumbled Rin, feeling annoyed by the earlier suspicion. The man opened the envelope with a pocketknife and looked into it. He grinned, so Rin supposed that the content was what the man had been looking for.

The company's chief snapped fingers with his right hand and gestured to himself. The bodyguard standing by the plain door nodded and whispered a command in his earpiece. From a backdoor – which lead further down, Rin figured – came a young woman. She nodded shyly to the teen and handed a black suitcase to her boss. The black haired teenager nodded back and the woman disappeared again through the door. Judging by her nervous behavior it was her first time dealing. Rin briefly wondered whether or not he had looked like that once.

The man called for his attention and stretched out the case. Rin took it and asked if he could sit down somewhere. The teen opened it and looked inside. This was a whole lot of money, definitely.

He quickly did the math while looking through the bundles and noticed that it was indeed the exact amount his brother expected to get. Rin stood up and bowed slightly. "It was a pleasure doing business with you," he said, recalling what he was taught to do. He moved all the packages of cash to his own schoolbag, and handed the case back to the businessman. "Mister Orihara would love to do so again."

As promised, Rin returned home right before the streetlights turned on. It was pretty late and the boy still had to start his cooking. He silently hoped that his brother would have done it for him. The teen entered the apartment after unlocking the door. "I'm home, nii-sama," he called while removing his shoes.

"Welcome home, Rin. Everything alright?"

"Yeah." Rin walked into the living room and handed his shoulder bag to his brother, who took it and glanced inside. "Good job," he praised and he went to his office with the money. Probably to put it in his safe. Rin looked in their kitchen and saw that his brother indeed hadn't felled like cooking. He sighed and decided to get started. He baked some shrimps from the freezer and decided to go with a simple salad on the side. Even though he himself tended to eat a lot, in reality it wasn't all that bad. He mostly just loved food, and he didn't feel particularly hungry this evening.

He didn't know if Izaya was hungry, but if he was it seemed like he just had to put up with it. He grabbed a frying pan and filled it slightly with some garlic oil. When he saw that it was fine this way he proceeded to throw the shrimps in. They weren't completely frozen, so he didn't have to wait in advance.

Izaya returned and smiled when he saw his longer brother cook for him. Rin just rolled his eyes. The elder Orihara stepped closer and put something in the pocket of his little brother's trousers. The teen raised his brow at that. Izaya gave him a cheeky wink. "A small bonus," he said.

After diner Rin went and grabbed the landline. He dialed the number and waited for the phone to be picked up from the other side.

"Yes, with the Orihara estate. I'm Orihara Mairu, how can I help you?"

"Hi, Mairu. It's Rin."

"Onii-chan! How are you? It's been a while since you called. Ne, Kururi! It's onii-chan on the phone. Come here then!"

"I've been fine," smiled the teen after listening to his hyper sister. "You two? How's mom and dad?"

"Huh? Oh, they're fine. They're out now, though. Some business stuff. We're fine on our own. Hey, onii-chan, how is school?" Kururi seemed to have grabbed the phone when Rin heard a soft: "Hi, onii-chan. How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Kururi. School is great here. I met a ton of new people, and I'm even class-representative." He paused for a few seconds. "… The girls here are cute, Mairu."

"Yes!" Rin heard from a distant. Kururi appeared to have set the phone on speakers. "Be sure to take pictures!"

"Who do you take me for?" grumbled the elder. "I am no pervert like you!"

"Whatever!" she screeched back with a laugh.

"Ne, onii-chan, will you be visiting soon?" Kururi asked in her monotone voice.

Rin sighed. "I don't think so, I'm sorry. Traveling takes time and I don't think I have much of that at the moment. Nii-sama makes me work as well, so that is not really helping the case." He remember his brother putting something in his pocket and he fished it out. "That cheapskate!" he cried.

"I don't really care…" mumbled Kururi. "Just visit."

"So demanding," sighed Rin as he put the little money he earned in his pocket again. He listened while Kururi and Mairu began to argue with one another.

"How is school with you two?" he interrupted.

"It's okay," came the synchronized response from the two.

"So it's not," concluded Rin. "Hang in there, you two. You know how we handle these type of things."

"Beat them up?" asked Mairu. "Frame them?"

"Do whatever you need to do," said Rin. "I'm sorry for giving you two such a bad reputation."

"It's not entirely your fault, you know," said Kururi. "It's nii-sama's fault, too."

"We blame you guys," said Mairu bluntly. "Better repent."

Rin remembered the priest he encountered in the train and he shivered. Creepy twins. "I actually met a priest today," he began. "He and his son."

"Aren't priests supposed to not have kids, or is that a nun thing?"

"I don't know," sighed Rin. "Really, I have no idea."

"Why'd you bring it up, then?" said the twin as if on command.

Rin nearly cried. "What is it with you two," he comically yelled. "I have done nothing to deserve this treatment!"

"You did give us that bad reputation."

"I apologized!" he yelled, making his younger sisters laugh. Rin chuckled. "I have to go now. You two take care, alright? Say 'hi' to mom and dad for me."

"We will!" they said.

"Oh, and Mairu?"

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Don't… Don't read porn during classes anymore, alright?"

"… You're not the boss of me…"

**\- OBLIVION logged in - **

**OBLIVION ** Hi, how's life going?

**Setton** The usual. You're late today.

**Taro Tanaka ** Hi there. I'm good. You?

**OBLIVION** I had stuff to take care of. I'm good, but exhausted.

**Taro Tanaka ** I hear you.

**OBLIVION** Were you guys discussing something?

**Setton** The boy with enormous strength from yesterday. He's all over the place.

**Taro Tanaka** No one knows what he looks like, though. I heard his head was on fire when he stopped Heiwajima.

**Setton ** You don't think that's true, right?

**OBLIVION ** If it was, then he's dead now.

**Taro Tanaka** It's a stupid rumor to just start, you know?

**Setton ** They said they saw him with Orihara. His new bodyguard, perhaps?

**OBLIVION ** I don't want to think of it. That guy's dangerous as it is.

**Taro Tanaka** You heard the rumors of him too, now?

**OBLIVION ** He doesn't sound like a nice guy at all.

**Setton ** He's a creepy fellow.

**Taro Tanaka** Did you guys know that he has a brother?

**OBLIVION** What? Really?

**Setton** Yeah, a younger brother, I heard.

**OBLIVION** The guy that stopped the post then, yesterday. Was that his brother?

**Setton** What?! No way. I mean, that's…

**OBLIVION** What? It's a good guess.

**Setton ** I don't know… I guess he could be it.

**OBLIVION** Come on, guys. I can be smart if I want to.

**OBLIVION** Taro? You still here?

**Setton** Afk?

**Taro Tanaka** No, I'm here.

**OBLIVION** Alright then. What do you think?

**Tara Tanaka ** I don't know. We'll see, I suppose.

**Setton ** I guess with all the people knowing about him now he should pop up sooner or later.

**OBLIVION ** I doubt it. Everyone knows about the Black Biker but no one really knows who he is, after all.

**Taro Tanaka ** But that's because he is a legend.

**OBLIVION** Maybe this new guy is one too! I knew moving to Ikebukuro would be a nice move.

**Setton** Not that you had a choice in the matter.

**OBLIVION** Hey! I decided to go there on my own!

**Taro** **Tanaka** Of course you did.

**Setton ** I'm off, you guys. Bye.

**Taro Tanaka** Bye, Setton.

**OBLIVION ** Watch out for the headless biker!

**\- Setton logged off - **

** OBLIVION ** We need a name.

**Taro Tanaka ** What for?

** OBLIVION ** This new guy! It'd be totally awesome! We'd start a hype with this one!

**Taro Tanaka** … Could you speak Japanese for me?

**Taro Tanaka** I have to go as well.

**OBLIVION ** One does not simply walk away from me.

**OBLIVION ** Seeya Taro.

**Taro Tanaka** Bye. 

**\- Taro Tanaka logged off - **

Rin leaned back in his seat and logged off. He knew from Kida and Mikado that people were talking about him, but Celty seemed to have heard about it as well. Rumors were spreading like a decease. Really, it seemed no one cared about anything but cheap gossip. He opened his browser again. He filled in his passcode and entered the site of the Dollars. He read a bunch of nonsense on the forums and his mood soured when he came by a forum about him.

Or rather, the strong teenager who stopped Heiwajima Shizuo. He read all the posts under it. That he was part of the Yellow Scarves, that he not only stopped the guy, but also had knocked him out and even more guesses about his appearance. No one seemed to agree with one another and Rin doubted that any of the people who claimed to have been there were actually there. Yes, there were people, but not that many.

He sighed. He really had to stay low, especially now. Rin desperately wanted a normal life. He did not want to become a 'demon' again, not when he finally had some friends.

The next day was pretty much the same like the one before. Izaya drinking coffee, working very early in the morning, seeming to feel exceptional proud of himself. Rin raised his eyebrow at that, but didn't comment. He still had three more days before his weekend, but he already couldn't stand getting up early anymore. Izaya knew that look all too well and scolded his younger brother. "No more skipping school. You did that too often during middle school and it will do you no good now. Go on," he said.

The young Orihara sighed deeply and went off to his school.

There, a big surprise was waiting for him.


	3. A Pink Head, And One That Was Lost

"**A young boy was stolen from a priest approximately fifteen years ago and taken to no one knows where. The young boy served his purpose and was then adopted into the Orihara family, where he grew up as a strange kid with immense strength. For his education he was to live with his brother Izaya in Ikebukuro, there he worked for him while learning about all of the city's mysteries. And if the urban legends itself weren't excitement enough a group of exorcists get involved as well."**

**Rated T**

**AU**

* * *

"Everyone be quiet now, you too Moshida-kun, calm down," the teacher sussed. "Yes? Alright. Class, I'll introduce you to your new classmate. Could you tell us about yourself?"

"Oh, yes, right." The strange newcomer seemed to have been staring at some of the girls in the corner. He grinned and winked towards the group. "I'm Shima Renzo. Arriving late as is custom for fancy parties."

Rin looked at him with a bored expression. Shima had pink hair, but that was the only interesting thing about him. The teacher coughed in his fist to get the attention of the chattering teenagers.

"Ah! Orihara-kun, could you show Shima-kun his way around school?"

Rin sat up straight. "Of course," he replied as he flashed a friendly smile at the new kid. At least now he could try to make more friends.

Shima approached the raven after their lecture. "So you're class-rep? Lucky me, right? You can set me up for all the cool stuff going on!"

Kida snickered when he heard that. "Wouldn't count on it. This guy knows nothing. If you want more excitement, you'll come to me. I'm a perfect ladies-man, after all!"

Rin rolled his eyes. "Just moved here?" he asked the pink-head.

Shima smiled. "Yup. Been having trouble with the latest stuff, so I'm off with a bit of a slow start."

Rin grinned. "I'm new to Ikebukuro as well. Though I finished moving begin summer."

Shima pouted. "My parents decided all this..."

"Rin's a cheater, though," Kida pointed out. "His brother lived here already. Ne, have you heard of Orihara Izaya?"

Shima sweat-dropped at the hostile tone of Kida's voice. "No?" He looked at Rin with pleading eyes as a dark aura began to form itself around the blonde.

He just waved it off, used to Kida's anger towards his brother. "Ah, you must meet Mikado. He's new in town as well."

Shima looked surprised. "A lot of people gather at this place, huh? And here I thought I was special."

At the mention of his friend Kida turned back to reality. "I take it you don't know your way around town yet, if you've just moved. We already had a tour through town, but another walk won't hurt."

Shima beamed up, tears of happiness raining down his cheeks. "Thanks! Ah, you're all too kind. When it was suddenly decided I was going to Raira I was so disappointed, but I'm happy there're good people here."

"Suddenly?" asked Rin, as they began to make their way to Mikado's classroom. "You were going somewhere else at first?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "I was going to True Cross."

"Eh, the fancy place?" exclaimed Kida. "You don't really look like the smartest guy around, though. Nor the richest."

"That hurts, ya know," cried the pink-head.

Rin was deep in thought. Didn't that four eyes from yesterday go to True Cross as well? Small world.

"You're a monk?" came Kida's yell, waking Rin up.

"Yeah," said Shima. "Not a very good one, though. My pops and brothers are far more into the business than I am."

"Really? That's good," Kida sighed relieved. "Here I thought I was stuck with picking up ladies on my own."

"True Cross sure attracts the religious types," mumbled Rin. "Came across a priest and his son who went to that school as well."

"Really?" asked Shima. "What's his name? Maybe I know him."

Rin shrugged. "I don't remember their names."

"Huh?" said Kida. "As an Orihara shouldn't you - like - know everyone?"

"You already know that I don't," protested Rin. "I never work with my brother, anyway."

"Oh, right," began Kida teasingly. "Because 'nii-sama' has to protect his 'little brother'." He proceeded with yelping with a high-pitched voice.

Rin flushed red to his cheeks. "I do not sound like that!"

"Do too!" Kida grabbed Shima's arm with dramatic flair. "I swear, Renzo. Without me this guy is completely lost."

Rin's left eye twitched angrily. So it was going to be Shima and Kida against him and Mikado.

"It's going to be a tough year for us, bud. '' Mikado looked up from his desk when he heard Rin's voice. He looked confused when he saw Shima, but they quickly became acquainted. Mikado agreed to just do another tour around town. It nearly seemed like the boy was just as desperate for friends as Rin was. Their conversion was caught off when Shima's phone rang. "Sorry guys, my parents need to know whether or not I'm okay." He then left for the hallway.

"He seems nice," breathed Mikado with a soft smile. Kida grinned. "I just attract the coolest people."

"Thank you."

"Even though I can be wrong sometimes." He winked playfully in response at the raven, who just rolled his eyes. Shima quickly came back. "The usual stuff." He said. "Did everything arrive correctly? Are the teachers nice? No illnesses? Don't get killed."

"No promises." Rin grinned. "About the getting killed part. Stuff's dangerous here."

"Oh yeah." Kida threw his arms in the air. "There are various gangs here, you know?"

"Gangs?" Shima looked bothered. "I just told my folk that it's all cool here and now you're throwing this on me?"

"The gangs aren't all too much trouble, right?" Mikado turned his head towards the young Orihara. Rin nodded. "They're easily spotted by the way they dress," he explained. "'The Blue Squares'. 'The Yellow Scarves', it's all pretty self-explanatory." Rin pointed his index-finger up and put it under Shima's nose. "Be wary of 'the Dollars', though. Apparently their colour is 'colourless'. You can't identify them based on their looks."

Mikado looked surprised. "You know about the Dollars?"

Rin shrugged, stepping away from a nervous Shima. "Not really. Just what nii-sama told me."

"Bet the guy is involved somehow." Kida grumbled. The pink-haired kid leaned in towards Rin. "What's the deal between him and your brother, man?" The raven just rolled his eyes. "Hell if I know. It better be something good. At the very least I want a somewhat entertaining story."

Before Shima could reply, he got another phone call. "Are you freaking kidding me?" he yelled in frustration. "Sorry, guys." He walked out of the room again, but wasn't even out of side before the students inside heard a loud 'oh hi professor!' from the pink-haired guy.

The group walked out only to witness professor Nasujima leave with an annoyed expression on his face, whilst Anri Sonohara stood there alone in the hallway.

It didn't take long for Shima to tell the story. According to Kida the teacher had a history with younger girls. "You know, Shima." Rin grinned happily. "I am really starting to like you!"

"Yes, indeed." Kida gave him a thumbs-up. "Handled like a great man, you did. Ah, to see that I've already influenced you on such a large scale is beautiful."

"Thanks?" Shima smiled.

Mikado looked at Anri, who agreed to walk with them towards their homes. Or at least, they thought she didn't mind for she hadn't really said a word yet. "Ah, Sonohara-san… I hate to bother you, but who were those girls from yesterday? Does it have something to do with Mika Harima?"

Anri looked up with a slightly surprised look in her eyes, but quickly found her usual compositor and simply nodded. "Mika Harima." Rin spoke out loud. "I heard she disappeared." Anri seemed to look a tad bit upset when hearing that, so Kida hit the boy on the head.

Shima listened carefully as Arni began to tell the group about the disappearance of her friend. "She only left me a text message. 'My heart is broken, I'm going on a trip', was what it said. I haven't heard from her since then."

Rin sighed softly. From all he heard, it seemed like this Harima had only used Anri for her own selfish needs. Anri spoke up again. "She is also a stalker."

"Eh?" screeched Shima. "What is up with this city? I thought you guys were cool!"

"Yikes," said Rin. "Was she like, really a stalker? Or just, slightly obsessed?"

"I know that she did follow her crush back to his house everyday after school…" The girl softly said. Kida turned around and theatrically spread his arms wide open. "Ah, an actual 'yandere' in this maiden's life, how tragic!"

"Was it by any chance Seiji Yagiri?" Mikado asked, remembering the encountered he witnessed between the guy and Anri Sonohara.

"… That guy also stopped coming to school, right?" Rin said. "He caused quite the uproar in your class, Mikado." The timid boy nodded his head once and sharp.

Anri responded affirmatively, and a silence befell upon them. Mikado seemed to want to speak up when the girl beat him to it. "I know Harima was only using me." Surprising Rin. "And I, too, was depending on her." She looked up, determined. "But no more. I can take care of myself. I even became a class-rep to show myself and everyone else that I can be better than Harima is. After all, she herself wanted to be a class representative, but I was the one that actually succeeded in achieving the goal."

Rin frowned at this, but didn't speak. Instead, he gave her an encouraging smile. Shima beamed up. "That's the spirit, Sonohara-san!"

She nodded and bowed slightly, saying she had to go the other way to reach her home. Shima walked with her, having to go to the same direction, and the two said goodbye to their friends as they made their ways.

"Unbe-freaking-lievable!" Rin screamed in frustration, causing passer-by's to look at him with a mixture of concern and anger. After a whole day's worth of working for school, doing homework and doing some chores, his brother still found the coldness in his heart to make his younger sibling do an errand for him. Rin dramatically wept as he pushed his bag a bit higher up his time his back was a whole lot heavier than last time. There could be a gun in there for all Rin knew. He quickened his pass, no way was he going to be caught with a gun in his possession.

"Uhm, excuse me? Orihara-kun, could I borrow a couple of minutes of your time?"

Rin looked up at the mention of his name. "What?"

The man in front of him appeared… messy? Yes. The man was a mess.

" My name is Niekawa Shuuji, I'm a reporter for Tokyo Incident. For a special, I've come to Ikebukuro to find the strongest person on the streets. Did you know your elder brother's name popped up as well? I wish to ask you some questions, if that were to be alright."

The younger looked with a deadpanned expression at the weird man. How come he knew who he was anyway? Damned reporters and their nosy attitude. "My brother is nowhere near being the strongest. Physically, that is."

"So I heard," Niekawa continued. "There were a couple other candidates. Heiwajima Shizuo was one of them, along with the Slasher, the Headless Rider and other various gangs, mainly the one called the Dollars. Do you know about any of them?"

Rin shook his head. "I apologize, I know nothing worthwhile about them."

"Then," the reporter wrote down something in his notebook, which looked heavily damaged for some reason. "Do you know about the Demon of Ikebukuro?"

Rin's began to listen more carefully. "A Demon?"

"Ah, yes. Supposedly a student. He's rumoured to be stronger than Heiwajima Shizuo himself." The man coughed and winced in pain at that sudden movement. "Though I hardly am able to believe that," he mumbled.

"Niekawa-san, I'm sorry. I do not know this student, either. I'm not very useful when it comes to this." The man raised his hand and smiled gently. "Do not worry, thank you for your time anyways, Orihara-kun. Would you perhaps be able to tell me where I could meet up with your brother? He might be a huge help."

Rin nodded. "Very well." He picked up the phone out of pocket. "I could give you his number, if that is alright. New contacts always seem to interest him, so I'm sure it's alright."

The writer smiled brightly. "Ah, yes, that'd be wonderful!" he noted the number down in his notebook and waved good-bye, having no idea what on earth he just got himself into.

"Nii-sama is going to love this… Or be very annoyed. Either is fine with me." Rin was just about to go his own way again when he heard neighing from afar. He waited for Celty to come to a stop before him.

She grabbed her phone and began to type. "Hi, Rin, working again?"

He laughed. "Yeah, duty 't talk for too long, I'm already late. I might miss the train."

"Want me to give you a ride?" the lady offered kindly. "I just finished my own job, it won't be any trouble."

Rin lost all his professionality. "Yes! I mean… Can I? Please? I'd love to!"

Celty chuckled silently and miraculously grabbed another helmet from somewhere. Though Rin knew where it came from, he decided not to comment on it. Yet. He really couldn't afford to be late, after all.

He put on the helmet and climbed on back. Celty checked whether or not he sat correctly and then rode off. That moment was when Rin decided he really wanted a motorcycle when he was older. It would nowhere be as awesome as this mythological horse, but right now anything that came close to it was alright with him.

The young Orihara greatly enjoyed the attention he got from those around them. Who wouldn't? No one got a chance to get to ride with the Headless Rider like this. Rin felt really lucky that he got to know the kind woman, it was a real privilege. Maybe this underground business had some plus-points as well.

When they arrived, Rin gave back his helmet to Celty as she typed that she'd wait for him there. He thanked her and then quickly slipped inside the tall tower. He walked over to the reception. "Good evening, I'm here to deliver an order to Oyuichi Yuuki. She's expecting me."

"Hold on for a moment," the man said as he picked up his phone and dialed a number. He glared at Rin from the corner of his eyes, as if to warn him. The man put down the phone and stood up, leaving his other colleague alone behind the desk. The receptionist was buff and large. "This way, Orihara-san."

The man led the boy in an elevator and silently pushed on the top button along with a password, before exiting the cabin, leaving the teenager alone.

Rin sighed, then cheerfully waved at the camera. Security sure was top priority here. It seemed, however, that business relations between his brother and the company was well enough for him not to be searched. He hated being searched.

The elevator halted and the doors opened. Two men were guarding the door at the end of the hallway. They nodded slightly and opened the doors to the main room. Rin walked in and turned to the left, to see the top-woman sitting at her desk. She smiled kindly, but the teenager had seen a similar smile enough to know it was fake.

Realising that the woman wasn't going to speak, Rin opened his bag and revealed the box, as he held it in his hands. "Are all arrangements ready?" he asked.

"Most definitely." She stood up and walked to the safe behind her. Oyuichi Yuuki was tall and had a slender figure. She was absolutely beautiful, despite the large scar that covered her face. It was said she started this business of hers after being attacked by one of her rival's fans while she was still a model. She proceeded to pursue her other passion, weaponry. On the outside, though, she runned a real-estate company.

The woman carried a small box out of it. With a smile, she handed it to Rin. The only reason why Rin was given his payment first, was because she wanted to show off how she didn't need to be more careful than she was. After all, a boy couldn't possibly run away with both his payment and the item that she had requested. Rin agreed. Even if he was monstrously strong, he knew he'd never be able to just get out of here. Not only that, but he'd also damage the 'good' Orihara reputation.

He opened the box and saw a small USB stick. Confirming this was indeed the payment he was supposed to receive he put it in his bag. He grabbed the package he had earlier taken out and placed on the cabinet. Rin reached forward and handed it to the woman. She, too, opened it and looked pleased. Oyuichi Yuuki closed the package a bit.

Rin bowed. "It was a pleasure dealing with you, Oyuichi-sama. On account of Orihara Izaya, I'd like to thank you for doing business with us."

"It was indeed a pleasure. Notify Orihara-san that he can expect me to deal with him more often."

"I shall deliver the message, I'm sure he'd be glad to hear it." He stood back up. "If you'd excuse me."

She waved Rin off, as he left to go down with the elevator. Back on the ground floor he nodded to the receptionist and left the building.

As promised, Celty was still there, leaning on her bike. She waved slightly when she saw that Rin came out. "How'd business go?"

"As well as can be expected. Perfectly, that is." He smiled. "You're becoming quite famous, don't you know? I got interviewed about you."

Celty looked up and straightened herself, she looked nervous. "What? Really? Why?" Rin nearly laughed as he watched the woman type that in a hurry. "'Why?' you ask? You're the Headless Rider!" The young Orihara brought his head to his left shoulder. "Though… you're not really headless, are you?" The woman froze. It seemed to hit her that she never really told her young friend about her. "There is no way you don't know…" she typed slowly. "Izaya must have told you."

Rin immediately recognize this as a moment that would change a lot. If he were to confess that he had indeed known, he'd be respecting the friendship he and the woman had, but betray that he would have been told a lot more than just that by his brother. Celty wouldn't intentionally try to pry something from Rin, he was sure of that, but the Dullahan was known to sometimes say things she wasn't really meant to say, especially to Shinra. Via Shinra, Shizuo would come to know, and either of them would be able to find Rin and question him when they didn't like Izaya's business - all of the time, that is.

However, if he were to say 'no, he didn't' Celty would know he had been lying, Izaya would have had no reason to hide stuff from him, unless he had a good reason. He'd injure the fragile bond between a demonic human and Dullahan and Rin didn't want that. The best would have been to not have started this conversation at all, but that was too late now.

"I do know… Nii-sama did indeed tell me… But, hear me out, okay?" He tried to look as uneasy as possible, which was no problem at all. Rin felt extremely guilty, for no clear reason he thought. Celty moved to lean on her 'horse'. "You, hmm, you heard about the kid, right? The one that encountered Heiwajima?" She nodded. "Then… you wouldn't be surprised to hear that was me, right?"

But she was. "You?" she asked. "The one that beat down Shizuo?" Rin yelled. "'Beat down'? Not at all! I only caught a lamppost! Why do rumours get out of hand like that?" Celty calmed him down, but she looked deep in thought. Rin continued: "When nii-sama told me of 'the Headless Rider' and Heiwajima, I felt relieved." The young man pulled his bag further up his shoulder, grateful that no one was around this part of town to witness their conversation. "I learned I wasn't the only strange one. I practically begged my brother to tell me all he knew, I even hacked his computer to find out myself when he refused." Celty began to type, but Rin didn't pause. "That's how I found out. About Heiwajima's strength, about your… heritage, your name and… I'm sorry. I should have just- I don't even know what I should have done. I didn't want to bother you. I bet you didn't want a teen looking at you like you were some sort of circus animal. Please, nii-sama doesn't know I know this. He hides most stuff from me so that I won't end up in danger. He's a good guy, really, to me at least and-"

"It's alright. I wasn't angry at all. I just wanted to know. I have no suspicions or ill will. I didn't know that rumoured kid was you, I don't think less of you now that I do. If you want, I'll set up a meeting between you, me and Shizuo. After all, 'freaks' should be friends."

Rin forced a smile on his face. "I never called you a 'freak', Celty. Ah. Is it alright if I call you by your first name?"

She began to furiously type again. "Oh god I'm so sorry! I just realised what you said! I never told you my name and you had to find out how I was called via your brother's computer. I've been a horrible friend, I'm so sorry. Of course I don't mind!"

The two talked for a while longer. Under a bridge, Celty removed her helmet and told Rin about her head and how she was looking for it. The teen already knew, but prefered to hear it from her personally. In exchange, Rin showed Celty his strength, by lifting her 'horse' with her still on it. Needless to say, they both knew he was stronger than that, but she was nonetheless impressed. The friendship between the two had grown and Rin felt happy.

But he would never be able to shake off the sick feeling in his stomach, because he had lied to the one person who had ever accepted him for who he was without them being family.

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**Read on my profile for clarification and all. Thank you for putting up with so much of my shit. Also, may the formatting function of this site kindly pleasure itself.**


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